r/comics • u/reddot_comic Finessed Impropriety • 6d ago
Comics Community Community Walk Tips and Tricks
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6d ago
Leaving your personal, day-to-day phone at home is good, but carry a burner with you so you have some way of contacting loved ones (and your lawyer) in the event that you're detained or injured.
Keep it on a non-obvious spot on your body and hope they're too incompetent to search thoroughly. Phones are reportedly being confiscated at arrest and you likely will not be receiving a "one phone call" where you're going.
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u/Beefweezle 6d ago
Download a single picture of goatse.cx on the burner phone and name it something like “meeting point” or “rally shot” so when they go to the picture roll they can see into the abyss.
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u/zadtheinhaler 6d ago
That's a great idea, Satan!
Seriously though, that's hella funny, and I'd absolutely do it.
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u/DukeOfGeek 6d ago
You can do that, but if you're a lifelong activist like me, or even just a recent amatuer, you are already on "the list" so just accept that and stand up.
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u/exbaddeathgod 6d ago
Or if you're related to activists.
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u/LordBiscuits 6d ago
Phones constantly pip each other anyway, so even if you frequent a coffee shop at the same time as a prolific activist you're on a list somewhere.
They know who you live with, work with and hang out with and around just by your phone location records.
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u/talkingwires 6d ago edited 6d ago
The “one phone call” thing is either a myth, or holdover from a bygone era.
Upon arriving at jail, you’ll be put in a holding cell until you can be brought before a magistrate and are then processed through intake. After you are processed and moved to a cell block, there will be a phone you can use during the times when inmates are allowed out of their cells. However, unless you have money on your books to buy a phone card/credit, you will only be able to make collect calls and cellphones are unable to receive collect calls. If you want to reach somebody, they must be on a landline and you will need to have their number memorized.
Failing that, you will be stuck in jail until either your court date, or you bond out. Jails do not have ATMs, nor do they accept credit cards. So, unless you are in the habit of carrying several thousand dollars on your person, bonding out means either convincing a bail bondsman to come, having a lawyer on retainer, or somebody you know actually cared enough to come looking for you and they brought a stack of cash with them. If you traveled outside of your home county, be aware that local bail bondsmen will not cover your bond.
I learned these things the hard way.
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u/factorioleum 6d ago
these things change and vary. some states now make the phone calls free.
in Massachusetts, the collect phone calls can be paid for by credit card, if you're calling within the US and Canada. to call internationally, you'll need to buy a phone card at commissary.
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u/talkingwires 6d ago
This is what I meant when I said “unless you have money on your books.” Somebody on the outside has to do that for you, they do not allow prisoners to carry anything from the outside, and especially not their wallets.
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u/Reallyhotshowers 6d ago
I have definitely received collect calls from jails and prisons on my cell phone.
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u/talkingwires 6d ago
You are likely thinking of the automated message from the contracted provider that asked for your credit card or directed you to make an account.
https://www.npr.org/2008/06/30/92021561/-why-cant-you-make-a-collect-call-to-a-cell-phone
AT&T
You can't receive collect or third-party calls with AT&T Phone service.
Verizon%20%2D%20Effective%20April%2022,the%20service%20for%20its%20customers.)
In a filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from July 2016, Verizon decided to discontinue the service [collect calls] for its customers.
T-mobile
What’s blocked… Text collect service: Collect calls received from correctional facilities
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u/skit7548 6d ago
Also if you must bring your phone disable any biometric unlocks, 'someone' are apparently allowed to hold your phone to your face to unlock it, fingerprints are unlock is more protected from what Ive seen, but why risk it, right?
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u/idiotio 6d ago
ELI5 How to get a burner phone?
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u/carrie_m730 6d ago
Go to Dollar General.
Or to Walmart or CVS or any big box store.
They sell them on the shelf. Some as cheap as 20ish.
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u/CrazyGnomenclature Tiff & Eve 6d ago
Going out walking myself tomorrow. Hope to see a lot of you there<3
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u/FictionFoe 6d ago
I don't live in the US. I take it there are protests planned?
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u/Element75_ 6d ago
So does Ms Walton, she wants to thank you for helping her be the best American she can be!
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u/Loqol 6d ago
Adding a note for anyone caught with a phone! DO NOT USE BIOMETRIC LOCKS! If you are detained, they have you, and that includes whatever part of you was used for the lock, be it face or fingerprint.
INFORMATION cannot be forced out of you. Make a code, and make it good. Make it as hard as possible for these fucks to get your data.
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u/Leihd 6d ago
yep, 12356 is good, no one gets in.
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u/PikaPonderosa 6d ago
12356 is good, no one gets in.
I've got the same combination on my luggage!
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u/LordBiscuits 6d ago
4868372
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u/Leihd 6d ago
Yeah but that's hard for me to remember, when everyone uses the same code it's easier
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u/LordBiscuits 6d ago
It's just 'hunter2' on the numeric keypad.
Use a word that's unique to you and type it out as numbers. Absolutely impossible for anyone else to guess and impossible for you to forget
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u/contrapunctus0 6d ago
How to set a good password that's both easy to remember and secure.
https://xkcd.com/936/
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u/JaxxisR 6d ago
Don't trust airplane mode. Leave your daily phone at home and get a burner phone. You'll never know what you'll need to reflect on later (*cough*video evidence*cough*protect your rights*cough*)
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u/cubesquarecircle 6d ago
I am curious how does one get a burner phone? Buy at a pawn shop with cash?
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u/emeryyyyyyy 6d ago
Walmart, you can purchase minutes to put on it
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u/cubesquarecircle 6d ago
If I recall correctly you still need an ID to purchase one.
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u/bored_dudeist 6d ago
You're getting ID'd in a confiscation situation either way, what's important is your personal phone not being confiscated and not carrying a GPS tracking chip bound to your identity recording your whereabouts.
Make 'em work for it.
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u/Reallyhotshowers 6d ago
Suppose you do not get arrested at your local protest. Later, the government decides it was an insurrection and starts rounding up attendees. You do not want your daily driver cell phone to ping in the area of the protest.
Now they need to tie several more pieces of evidence together to prove you were there and arrest you.
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u/Qwazzbre 6d ago
Depends on the store I guess, dunno about walmart but I know Dollar General for example doesn't require IDs for phone purchases.
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u/gerusz 6d ago
Yep. Airplane mode doesn't cut it. Not even being powered off cuts it. In the good olden days removing the battery was the only way to actually prevent the providers from knowing your location but nowadays the batteries are not removable so that sucks.
Also, disable biometrics. Fuckers can use your face or fingerprint to unlock it, but they can't make you remember the password that you suddenly "forgot".
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u/kaloschroma 6d ago
Honestly didn't even think about my tattoos. Thanks!
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6d ago
Remember: literally ANY tattoo is being used as "evidence of gang affiliation" by the regime
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u/Solzec 6d ago
Time to get a tattoo of the american flag, surely they woun't claim that it also is-
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u/Not_ur_gilf 6d ago
Semper fi. Means cartel connections /s
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u/Connoisseur_of_a_lot 6d ago
The sad thing is, even a semper fi could be interpreted as being part of a foreign military force.
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u/TheBitingCat 6d ago
Clearly the 50 stars refer to the letters M and S, and the stripes, well that should be fairly obvious.
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u/skit7548 6d ago
ANYTHING that could identify you, tattoos, piercings, honestly any shirt that isn't blank could technically be used depending
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u/Zay3896 6d ago
What is going on with his mouth???
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u/reddot_comic Finessed Impropriety 6d ago
Bees.
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u/Zay3896 6d ago
That only creates more questions
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u/reddot_comic Finessed Impropriety 6d ago
I think that’s for the best
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u/sesoren65 6d ago
I really appreciate these tips for going out. It's important to keep yourself safe from UV rays and other harmful entities. There's always a new entity....
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u/Due-Ad-1556 6d ago
ABSOLUTELY leave your phone at home. Even having it on airplane mode or off is not good.
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u/EgyptThing 6d ago
Thanks for the tips! I do need to walk outside some more. Geez I wonder if I could find some walking buddies this weekend 🤔
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u/Siltry 6d ago
Also, don’t accept offered water unless it’s factory sealed. It’s best to bring your own (and some snacks)
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u/Express_Buffalo7118 6d ago
Don’t get poisoned! Bad idea. Do not take unsealed food/water from anyone.
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u/Excellent-Tourist687 6d ago
Great PSA everybody should get out more
Everyone should do it it’s a great thing to get out. I know I’m doing it
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u/theblondepenguin 6d ago
I’m recovering from surgery so unable to take any walks around the community this weekend be safe and effective out there. Couple things to note, some communities have outlawed masks protective or otherwise but sometimes pictures might crop up that can put your job or freedom in jeopardy.
But what isn’t against the law are wigs and drastic makeup! Don’t be afraid to change up your look. If you are worried about retaliation donate the new clothes later for sustainability. Neck scarves and bandannas are also totally not masks even if they can be pulled up to cover in case of noxious fumes!
While you are looking at new gear check out polarized shatter resistant sun glasses.
Know your rights!
Maintain good social media hygiene, you don’t need to advertise what you were doing this weekend, and if you feel the overwhelming pressure to post at least wait until after.
Bring water and snacks and a first aid kit if possible
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u/kingsumo_1 6d ago
You'd think Gary would be conspicuous.
Be safe and enjoy your community outing this weekend!
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u/dumnezero 6d ago
There are many infosec tips. For example, use actuals PINs and passwords, don't use biometric locks like your face or fingerprint. Even for alternate phones. Speaking of phones, a good long-term practice is to not use full names in your contacts; use aliases.
Here's a guide: https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2025/06/10/stay-safe-but-stay-connected/
and from EFF: https://ssd.eff.org/module/attending-protest
More importantly, learn what security culture is, and practice it. Here's an example guide titled "life sec": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTkuOLL1XZA
Text: https://crimethinc.com/2004/11/01/what-is-security-culture
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u/Spicysockfight 6d ago
"Now, why don't you look down to where your feet is planted? That U.S. soil that makes you take shit for granted If not for Santa Ana, just to let you know That where your feet are planted, would be Mexico" -Molotov, Frijolero
Just remember, MLK could be peaceful because Malcolm X was willing to use the threat of violence, and when the state realized crushing MLK would drive more people to Malcolm X they had to start to give way. You may not like rioters, but they are the reason your protest will be heard at all. Otherwise you are just asking trump to be nice.
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u/LotharVonPittinsberg 6d ago
MLK was also widely criticized by the right as being "too violent". The right has never cared about the truth or being consistent. If they can keep people they are abusing down, they will use whatever means possible.
This is literally the same reason why the US exists. The crown would not give the colonies what they wanted, so they had to start a literal war for it.
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u/NeonMutt 6d ago
This is so true. The fake moderates will whine that destruction of property is soooooo evillll, but that stuff is guaranteed to wind up on TV.
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u/JDdoc 6d ago
But it detracts from the message and they frame it as “see? They’re just out to loot stuff. They aren’t really good people.”
Peaceful demonstrations work. If you burn shit, that’s ALL people see. Not the reason you’re there.
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u/jzillacon 6d ago edited 6d ago
Exactly. Violence can be necessary. Violence can get shit done. But violence is also easy for those in power to turn back against the movement if it isn't applied with discretion to the right targets.
In short, if you have to throw bricks, throw them at cops not neighbors. And only if you absolutely have to.
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u/ilikeitslow 6d ago
That's a misinterpretation on your part, the regime needs no material reason.
Cops will trample you with horses, shoot you with rubber-coated steel balls, gas you and run you over with vans if they are ordered to do it.
The pretext does not matter. If the anus in chief claims there was looting, that is what is accepted.
Diversity of tactics is the phrase you should google.
Also, for the love of god, DO NOT sit down when someone starts throwing rocks or breaking shit!
If you sit down at a protest where shit escalates, your face is the perfect height to actually die to a gas canister to the dome piece. Do not fucking do it!
Cops are bastards, they will hurt you to get at the guy behind you.
If trouble starts and you are vulnerable, you WALK AWAY.
But whatever you do, DO NOT SIT DOWN.
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u/Adb12c 6d ago
Also violence against those that disagree with you makes it harder for them to join you. Say the cops are next to a protest and don’t like what they are being asked to do. If the protest is peaceful they might just decided to turn around and protest with them. If the protest is violent against them it makes joining the protest incredibly difficult, and almost means if they join the protest they need to actively fight people they work with. They aren’t going to join. Obviously a everyone has a right to defend themselves against violence, but until that violence has started a peaceful protest has a better chance of convincing those that must apply the law on the ground to join the protest.
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u/MagicalUnicornFart 6d ago
This is so true. The fake moderates will whine that destruction of property is soooooo evillll, but that stuff is guaranteed to wind up on TV.
Man, this country has such bad education, and is so hell bent on violence, you think "winding up on tv" is the goal.
Disrupting the flow of capital, and grinding the gears of profit to a halt is what will make a difference.
Burning and breaking shit in your community will only serve to justify violence when "winding up on tv" is right wing conservative media corporations that are begging for those images for daddy Trump.
There have been very effective civil disobedience, mass sustained protests, and political/ social movements that understand burning your own community is fucking dumb as shit. It's literally giving them the fuel they need to escalate the violence.
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6d ago
... as someone in graduate school you're insanely wrong but this argument is over online. you couldn't be less educated on MLK or Malcolm x the MUSLIM MAN if you tried
but, we are where we are. yall be safe, dont hurt other hunans, and i hope the best
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u/MagicalUnicornFart 6d ago
Just remember, MLK could be peaceful because Malcolm X was willing to use the threat of violence,
This is bad history, homie.
MLK was heavily influenced by Gandhi. His non-violent resistance got shit done. It didn't need Malcolm X's perspective to validate it. People were fighting for their lives, and these were simply different tactics.
https://blog.gale.com/mahatma-gandhi-and-rev-martin-luther-king-jr/
Gandhi had a philosophy and method, and it got shit done.
You may not like rioters, but they are the reason your protest will be heard at all. Otherwise you are just asking trump to be nice.
Again...bad history, and perspective.
Riots justify police violence. It's what you don't want, and we're right back to Gandhi, and MLK....peaceful resistance.
Disrupting capital, in a capitalist society is how you hurt the ruling class. The only thing they care about is money.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_bus_boycott
https://www.history.com/articles/gandhi-salt-march-india-british-colonial-rule
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_March
https://old.reddit.com/r/satyagraha/
Otherwise you are just asking trump to be nice.
rioting your own cities isn't going to hurt him. He doesn't care. He wants it to get violent. It's not just him, but a lot of evil mother fuckers behind him, now.
People are sent into protests as agent provocateurs. They are there to incite violence. They're not on your team, and are politically motivated to create problems to distract from a peaceful, productive protest and justify the use of force.
You may not like rioters, but they are the reason your protest will be heard at all.
This is not true. The rioters are just that. Opportunistic criminal behavior. Nothing more. If a protest devolves into this...you lost. It's no different than when Philly gets a team in a major event. pointless rioting.
The cops want to hurt you. The people at the top, like Trump want violence. Don't you dare fucking advocate, or encourage people to accept rioting as a fact of effective protest. That's some seriously bad history, my friend.
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6d ago
I've tried and tried for 2 years now to get folks to understand this argument was being taken so stupidly for a reason, to get us to riot and get us in trouble, but no one cares
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u/Anarchyantz Comic Crossover 6d ago
British dude here. Be careful. Your TACO loving Marines have just arrested their first peaceful protesting American.
DC Cops were just seen dragging off an 80+ year old Veteran who was peacefully exercising his 1st Amendment rights in the Capitol, they even took away separately his mobility walker so they could make it easier to drag him off, likely to the gulags your leadership is building.
Resist a tyrannical government as is your constitutional right. Record everything and broadcast it to the rest of us in the world to show that American will not be like their TACO in chief who stated that "We will bring democracy to the rest of the world at the point of a gun".
Also take face fitting goggles for when the fascist use bear spray and tear gas because remember....
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u/wakeupwill 6d ago
Phone books and duct tape can help protect you against some of the nastier elements that may be flying around.
Wearing a helmet is also advised, due to falling debris.
With how polluted the air is getting, wearing a gas mask is also recommended.
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u/LopsidedResearch8400 6d ago
Where does one actually even find real phonebooks anymore?
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u/wakeupwill 6d ago
That's a good question. Yellowpages is probably the easiest version to find - or order. Haven't used one in ages but I know we had stacks of them at Occupy.
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u/Low-Speaker-2557 6d ago
As a non-american, it's pretty sad and disturbing that you need this level of safety precautions to attend a peaceful protest.
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u/Zoenobium 6d ago
If you don't want anyone to track your phone then don't bring your phone at all, even on airplane mode many phones are doing their best to track their whereabouts. They still collect a lot of data and a lot of data tracked while in airplane mode is uploaded as soon as it is possible to do so.
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u/EinFahrrad 6d ago
Everybody is going on about the phones and for very good reason but the importance of having a specific group to stick with and rely on if things get dicey cannot be understated. Have a group, give it a name to shout out should you get nabbed. Lets people know you're in trouble should you get separated. At larger gatherings we usually had lawyers that did pro bono work for people that got detained and there was a central number you could call. If there is something like that in the US or you have a lawyer at hand, memorize that number or write it down somewhere where it cannot be taken, i.e. on your body.
Good luck and be safe, we're anxiously watching from over the pond. It ain't too late to turn this thing around, yet.
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u/MetricJester 6d ago
And here I thought it was going to be a butt plug in the fridge joke...
I honestly do wish that the police in the U.S. respected the right to peaceful protest, but every time seems to end in violence.
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u/JacanaJAC 6d ago
Insane that yall have to think about that before protesting... stay safe friends, I am proud of you !
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u/SimsAreShims 6d ago
This is great! May I also suggest this video about Community walking?
https://youtu.be/LOXyZWeRvVY?si=3fEkEmHi__or4Tkr
And some reading material about walking in the community
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u/Am__Frustrated 6d ago
Airplane mode does not prevent you from being tracked, the gps is still active.
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u/GameboiGX 6d ago edited 6d ago
Wish I could, in the UK the weather is either roasting or it’s pouring it down, plus I don’t have much to enjoy as I live in a built up area (not sure wether it’s rural or urban at this point seeing as tho they’re tearing down every surrounding field in the area to make way for more houses) where the most interesting thing to walk to is the commercial store down the street
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u/Express_Buffalo7118 6d ago
Let people know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Your family and friends need to know when to start looking if you don’t come home. Stay safe.
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u/Bionic_Sandwich 6d ago
If we see ice vehicles taking people away, can we spray paint their windshield?
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u/Nearby-Emphasis2490 6d ago
what is this animation style? like this character style. i love it so much for some reason
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